Lubricated valve structure



Se t. 22, 1942. F. H. MUELLER, ETAL 2,296,649

LUBRICATED VALVE STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 12, 1940 M y 3 l 1 1 w j WM fi Z at [6 for receiving a closure or Patented Sept. 22, 1942 I 2,296,649. LUBRICATED VALVE s'rauo'ron Frank H. Mueller and Walter J. Bowan, Decatur,

poration of Illinois l., assignors to Mueller 00., Decatur, 111., acor- Application sep tember 12, 1940, Serial No. 356,530: v

2 Claims. (01.251-93) The present invention relates to lubricated valve structures.- v r A primary object of the invention consists in providing a rotary valve plug with means for controlling thefiow of the lubricant to the seating surface oi. the valve and also to provide a valve structure including a'plug or valve element which can readily be released from -a seized position. v

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompany ing claiins and drawing. t

Referring to the drawing, in which is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is avertical sectional view of our improved valve structure.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modified form of valve structure.

Referring to the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts in. the several views,-

In designates the casing or valve body element which has a radially extending passage II for flow of line fluid. Extending axially 'of' the body element and transversely of passage ll isa tapered seat l2. The wall of the seat -l2 constitutes one of the seating surfaces of the valve structure and has rotatably mounted therein a tapered valve plug or valve element 13 which has a flow port ll that registers with the passage II when the plug valve is'in its open position (Figure l).

The wall of plug l3 comprises the other seating surface of the valve structure.

The casing I has a depending tubular portion forming a recess I! which receives the larger end of the plug 13 and is internally threaded as V thrust nut I! which, in turn, has a central threaded bore or chamber l8 arranged to be closed by a plug I9. The'inner portion of bore or chamber l8 constitutes a reservoir for receiving lubricant or grease which is to be supplied to the seating surfaces of the valve structure l2 to insure smooth and easy operation and'assist in maintaining a tight seal. The seat l2 of casing I0 has a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 20 which are of less length than the axial length of the valve seat'or communicate at their lower lar groove 2|. As shown,

seating surface I2; and which ends with an annufour longitudinal grooves 20 of equal length are provided and are preferably-spaced 90 apart so that two grooves are located on each of the portions of the seat I2 separated by the flow passage ll (Figurel-2).

The larger end of the groove '22 substantially opposite the groove 2i in the casingyand also is provided with a port 23 which extends axially to one end thereof. The inner-end of port 23 opens to a short radially extending passage 23a opening to the annular groove 22. nates'in a centrally disposed reduced lug 24.v A combined control member and washer-25 formed of rubber or other resilientmaterial, is positioned within the tubular portion l5 of the casing in contact with the retaining or thrust nut 11. The member 25 has opposd-re'cesses-2B which-closely fit complementary lugs 21 formed in the inner wall of the tubular portion l5 of the casing so as to' maintain; the control member fixed against rotation and also seal recess [5 from the seating surfaces of the valve structure. It'is to be noted that the relatively loose fit of the washer 25 with respect to the lugs 21 indicated in Figure 3 is merely' for clarity. The member 25 also has a central circular opening 28, and a plurality of radial slots 29 which communicate with the opening 28 -and terminate short of lthe'outer peripheraledge-of the washer (Figure 3). Preferably four radial slots 29 are provided which are equal 1y spaced, apart. However, the number may be varied if desired.

The lugl24 on the'valve' plug 13 extends into the opening '28 of member 25 but is spaced from the walls of opening 28 to allow the lubricant in the chamber l8 tob'e forced upwardly into the radial slots' upon the tightening up of the plug IS. The valve plug Hi, When moved to either its fully closed position or its fully opened position,

- is rotated substantially 90; Consequently, since one of the radial slots 29' is arranged to register axially with port 23 when the plug is in either its closed or open position, it will be seen that pressure from chamber l8 will only actupon the lubricantin the'grooves 20 when the valve plug 13 is either completely closed or completely opened, and that the pressure is cut off when the plug 13 is in any intermediate position..

The smaller or upper end of the plug l3 extends beyond thecasingand is provided with a non-circular head 30 arranged to receive a suitable tool for the purpose of turning the plug to control the flow of the line fluid through the casing. The upper portion of the plug l3 within the valve seat 12 may be provided with an anplug l3 has an annular:

The larger end of the plug .l3 termih nular channel 3| for receiving a packing 32 any suitable material such as rubber or the like. 1

The adjustable thrust nut ll bears against the under side of the washer member 25 so as to I a 'force the latter against the larger end of the valve plug it in'orderto maintain the plug in proper position against its seat l2. Additionally,

the pressure of the lubricant in the chamber 18 coacts with thejnut I! to insure the valve plug l3 being held in proper position within the casing ID. The locking engagement of the lugs 21 with the washer member 25 prevents the latter from i being turned by the rotation of the'valve plug i3 and insures the radial slots being maintained in a flxed'position so'as to register singly and sequentially with the axial port 23 'in*the plug when the latter is rotated in an arc of 90 in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. It will be noted that the longitudinal grooves It in the plug terminate short of the channel *3 I.

However, if desired. these grooves could be extended into: the" channel 3| 'to supply lubricant thereto anduthus, dispense with the use of the packing 32a The groove 2| in the casing I0, is preferably verticallyoflset relative to the groove 22 inthe plug so that during the operation of the-valve','the tendency of the-plug-togrind or form a shoulder in the body is eliminated.-

It .will beseen'that when the parts are assembledand the'chamber, I8 is packed with asuitable viscous lubricant, -the -,;-valve plug} 13 may be moved-to its open-position as shown in'Figure' l-byanysuitable tool applied tothehead 30.

i a when in this p'osition,:one of the slots'29 regis l ters'with-the port 23 so that the lubricant which isfi'orced from the chamber I8. unwardlyinto radial slots'29, passes through one of these slots into the-port 23, thence around the groove 22 into the groove 2l ;where: it lsconducted upwardly by the grooves 20 soas to lubricate the seating surfaces of; the. valve. structure and thus insure a smooth and. easy operation; when the plug l3 istumedtoward closed position, the port 23 is moved out of registration with its previous ly aligned slot 29-30 as to cut oil the flow of the lubricant until-the plug reaches its fullygclosed position, at which point the port 23 registers with one of the other of the radial slots29so as to allow the lubricant to be forced upwardly to the valve-seat. Thus the opening 23 in the valve plug ll isarranged to communicate with one oi the four radial slots 29 in the stationary member orzwasher 25 when the plug is in either fully opened orfully closed position to permit pressure to act upon the lubricant in the seating surfaces,

3 but such pressure is cut of! when the'plug is in any intermediate position. In other words the seatingsurfaces are eiiectively closed from prestual cut-ofl oi the grease pressure to beperformed at a point isolated from the seating mface. More particularly, ince port 23 is spaced inwardly from the periphery of washers 25 and 25a, and the peripheries of these washers closel engage the wall of the recess ii, there can'be' no leakage of pressure or grease from chamber; 28 to the seating surface in any position of the plug. Also, since the upper surface of. each washer closely contacts with the adjacent end of the plug and its lower suri'ace is closely con tacted by nut ll, there can be no leakage at this point.

Itwill be observed that the larger end ing. By this arrangement, if the device has not 7 been operated for some time and the will cause the resilient washer to compress and permit the plug to move axiallyoi itsj seat. The resiliency of the washer willnaturally cause pl s. hecomesseized with respect to the casing, it may be freed by a hammer blow on its head 3!. That is, the striking oithe smaller end of the plug I! the plug'to immediately reseat.. In extreme instances nutor closure I! may be slightly backed out to enable the plug to be moved axially oi its seat; It will also be noted that in most instances a tightening of threaded plug i9 will build up 'entlrely'sufllcient pressure to move the plug ll in its seat to loosen it for rotation.

Figure 4 shows a modified construction which is identical. with that disclosed in Figures 1 to 3 except that the control .member or washer 25s of Figure} is or metal orgother 'non resilient material. The structure illustrated in Figure! has all of theadvantages oi the structure of Figures 1 to 3 insofar as the control of the lubrican't pressure is concerned. However. the Fig ure 4 structure involving the use of. a rigid or hates the possibility of leakage due to deteriorasure in the chamber l8 until the plug is moved to either its fully; closed or fully opened. position. The lubricant within the chamber ldis main tained underproper pressure by the plug 19, which has a kerr opening 33 jfor receiving a suitable. tool for adjusting the plug or for removing thegsame inorder to reiill the chamber.

lubricant passages in the twolvalve structures described above is such that-the devices may be readlly'jand economically manufactured without .the necessityoi any great amount of machine operations, but that an efllcient control of the; lubricant pressure isnevertheless provided. The .use of: a lubricantvcontrolling port 23 which is entirely withln'the body of the valve element or plug l3'is advantageous in that it'permits the acinto the recess l5 as to absolutely lock plugllj i 1 It will be observed that the arrang ment of the' non-resilient control member. or washer. elimition of a rubber or other resilientfwasher. Such deterioration may obviously occur when the valve is used to control the flow of certain fluids.

Should i the, plug 01 the 'Figure 4 constflictioli become seized, the seizure can be;corrected by very slightly backing out the nut' or closure 11 and then tapping the head a. of the plug'with" a hammer so as to move it axially in itsseat;

Nut l1 can thenbe retightened tolurse the-plug to its proper seated position, preferably after the plug has beenyery slightly rotated to entirely clear up the seized condition. As'isthe case with washer 2i, washer 25a has a close lit in the valve body element recess I! so as to entirely isolate" chamber 18 from the seating. surfaces of the valve structure. l I I Innormai use of the structure of Figure 4 the nut or vclosure il will not be so tightly threaded against rotation. That is, the nut .will have its inner end Just sulllciently, and almostimperceptibly, spaced-iromwasher. 25a so that'the plug can rotate, all leakage past the plug being sealed b the. grease passages"; =Howver, if

the fluid in line passage 20, is under extremely high pressure, nut i1 canzbe so tightly positioned that the plug will not-be rotatable unlessthe' nut or closure is slightly backed out. It is to 'be understood that the i'orm of ,theinvention shown and described ismerely'illustra tive .of a preferred embodiment and that such changes may be made asiall in the purview of of the plug i3 is fully enclosed within the casing Ill and bears upon the resilient washer 25, while thesmaller end of the plug projects from the casone skilled in the art without departing from the inventionand the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. A plug valve including a casing having a line passage and an inclined valve seat formed transversely of theline passage, a tapered valve plug rotatably mounted in said seat for controlling the flow of the fluid through the line passage, said valve seat having an annular groove adjacent the larger end thereof and spaced longitudinally extending grooves communicating with the annular groove, said casing having an outwardly extending tubular portion into which the large end of said plug extends, said plug having a circumierentially disposed groove communicat ing with the annular groove in said casing and a port extending from said circumferential groove to the large end of the plug, a washer associated with the large end of the plug, said washer having acentral opening and radial slots communicating with said chamber, means for non-rotatably mounting the washer within the tubular portion of the casing, retaining means connected to said tubular portion for maintaining the washer in proper position relative to the plug, said retaining means having a lubricating chamber therein, said port being arranged to be moved into and out of registration with one of said radial slots to control the pressure of lubricant in said grooves, and means for applying pressure to the lubricant in said chamber, said retaining means and washer coacting with the pressure of the lubricant in the chamber to maintain the plug in proper position relative to the valve seat.

2. In a valve structure, a valve body element including a flow passageway and a tapered seat, a tapered plug in the tapered seat, the smaller end of the plug projecting from the valve body element, a chamber in the valve body element surrounding the larger end of the plug and of greater diameter than the latter, a member threaded in said chamber, resilient means interposed between said last-named member and the larger end of the plug, said resilient means bein of less thickness axially of .the plug than the distance between the inner wall of said chamber and said threaded member when the threaded member, resilient means and plug are in contact and the plug is seated, ient member will exert pressure on the plug independently of the valve body element, and means carried by said member to apply pressure to a lubricant within said chamber.

FRANK H. MUELLER: WALTER J. Bow m.

whereby said resil- 

